Brackett Causes a Racket
by Raiderette Levin
Summary: When a new doctor arrives at Rampart, Doctor Brackett just KNOWS that something is wrong!
1. Chapter 1

Edith Thorne stepped out of Rampart Medical Center's cafeteria and walked to the sunny outdoor eating area. She took a seat at an empty table, said grace, and took a bite of her sandwich. Head nurse Dixie McCall soon emerged from the cafeteria as well and joined her.

"Hi, Edith. How's the first day on the job?" Dixie picked up her fork and speared a red cherry tomato off the top of her salad.

Edith, a pretty woman of thirty-four, smiled. "It's been good, Dixie. I like the staff here at Rampart." She took a bite of her sandwich.

The nurse smiled. "We haven't scared you off yet?"

Edith laughed as Dixie grinned.

Doctors Kelly Brackett and Joe Early soon appeared from the cafeteria with their trays.

"I heard we're getting a new doctor and some new nurses this week," Joe said to Kelly. He saw Dixie waving them over and stopped. "Why don't we go sit with Dixie and her friend, Kel?"

Dr. Brackett noticed Dixie sitting with a pretty brunette. "Sure, Joe. Maybe she can introduce us to that new nurse."

The two men approached the small table.

"May we join you?" asked Joe.

"Certainly," Dixie replied, scooting over to make more room as the two doctors sat.

"Looks like it's turkey again," remarked Brackett as he inspected his sandwich.

Dixie smiled. "Joe, Kel, I'd like you to meet a new friend of mine." She motioned to Edith. "This is Edith Thorne."

Joe held out a hand. "Joe Early."

She shook his hand. "Hi."

Brackett did the same. "Kelly Brackett. Are you a new nurse?"

Edith laughed pleasantly. "Oh no, Dr. Brackett! I'm the new doctor, Edith Thorne, M.D.F.A.C.S."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Kel, what are you so upset about?" Dixie knew that look. There was obviously something on the young doctor's mind. She had a few ideas, but was not going to rush to any conclusions.

Brackett did not respond.

"Kel?"

"Hm? Say something, Dix?"

Dixie rolled her eyes and handed him a cup of coffee. "I asked what you were so upset about."

"Who's upset?" He replied gruffly, sipping the warm beverage.

Dixie smiled knowingly. Maybe if she pressed, she could get information out of him. "You're not still sore about Edith are you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Edith Thorne, M.D.F.A.C.S." She said a little bit louder.

"I'm not deaf, Dix. Now what are you bringing her up for?"

She set her mug down on a nearby table and put her hands on her hips. "Women can be doctors, too, Kel, and from what I've seen, Edith is a very fine one."

"I just don't like it when women try to meddle where they don't belong."

Dixie raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Women belong in the home or as secretaries and nurses, but women should _not_ be doctors!"

Dixie's eyes widened. "Kel! How dare you say that!"

"Well, it's true, Dix."

"No, it's old-fashioned, that's what!" She went to get herself more coffee.

Brackett rolled his eyes. He adored working with Dixie, but sometimes, she was just too headstrong for his taste. Men had their places and women had theirs, but it did not include M.D. school.

A young blonde girl stumbled in wearing cadet nurse clothing. She had her arms tucked behind her back and looked around nervously. "Um, excuse me. Can somebody please direct me to a Miss Dixie McCall?"

Dixie walked over to the girl. "Right here. What can I help you with, honey?"

"I'm Margie Haydock, I'm a new student nurse. I was told to go check in with you."

Dixie smiled. "Well, you've come to the right place. How old are you?"

"Twenty." Margie said.

Brackett turned to face the girl and sneered. The young cadet nurse seemed to defy proper human anatomy and looked a great deal like Marilyn Monroe. Her hair was an unnatural bleach-blonde color and her eyes were framed in globs of black mascara and liner. She looked more like a cover girl than a nurse.

Dixie and Margie were soon engulfed in conversation and left the room. Brackett sighed angrily and set his mug aside. Time to get back on the job.


	3. Chapter 3

Dixie McCall eased out of a hospital room and looked around for Edith. Dr. Brackett was tending to a small girl, but had no idea what was wrong because she wouldn't describe her symptoms. He was trying to keep his cool, but Dr. Brackett's quick temper started to flare up and now the little thing was too scared to tell him anything. Joe was busy in surgery and Dixie thought Edith would be a good choice.

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Dr. Thorne at the nurses' station, talking to Margie.

"Dr. Thorne," Dixie said as she approached them. "We need you in room three."

"Certainly. Do you know what to do now, Margie?"

"Yes Doctor."

"Very good."

Edith turned. "What seems to be the problem, Dixie? Isn't Dr. Brackett in room three?"

The two women walked towards the examination room as Dixie answered. "Yes, Dr. Thorne, but you see… We're trying to find out what happened to a little girl and she won't tell Kel anything."

Edith nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do." She knocked and then entered the room. "Dr. Brackett?"

He turned. "Edith! What are _you_ doing here?"

"I hope you don't mind, Doctor, but Miss McCall thought I might try talking to the child."

Brackett frowned. "Well, whatever, but make it quick." He went to wait out in the hall.

Edith turned to the little girl and smiled. She was about five or six years old and had two curly pigtails of golden hair. She hugged a teddy bear tightly to her chest. Edith bent down so she was at the girl's eye level.

"Hi there."

"Hi."

"I'm Doctor Thorne. What's your name?"

"Judy."

"What's your bear's name?" Edith noted the girl's toy.

"Honeycomb."

She smiled. Honeycomb was an adorable name for a teddy.

"Is somebody here with you?"

Judy shook her head.

"No? What are you doing here, Judy?"

Little Judy stared at the doctor for a few seconds. Then, she said, "I got hurt at the playground."

"Oh no! What happened?"

"I fell and hurt my knee. My friend, Tommy, told me to go here and they would fix me."

"Can you show me where you got hurt?" Edith guessed the girl would have no more than a minor abrasion.

Judy pointed to her knee where she had a small scrape. A little bit of red blood was oozing from the wound.

"Oh, Judy, I'm sorry. Here," she stood. "Why don't I get a band-aid for you and then we can have your mother come pick you up?"

Judy gripped the bear and said nothing. The doctor washed her hands, and proceeded to disinfect the child's wound and patch it with an adhesive bandage.

"There you go, Judy. Good as new. Are you ready to go home?"

The young patient shook her head, vigorously.

"Why? Are you hurt somewhere else?"

"Honeycomb's hurt." She held up her bear.

"Oh no! Did he fall?"

She nodded. "I fell on top of him."

Edith preformed a 'check-up' on the plush bear and even bandaged his 'wounds.' When the check up was over, the shy little girl threw her tiny arms around her.

"Thank you, missus! Honeycomb doesn't have any more owies!"

Edith smiled and hugged the girl back. "Glad to help, Judy."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you for all of the kind reviews, loyalty, and patience. I kept meaning to write; I kept wanting to write. But in June, I contracted a terrible case of writer's block and it is finally beginning to lift. So thank you, keep checking for updates, and be sure to visit my profile and answer my **_**Emergency!**_** poll. :)**

"Edith, you never cease to amaze me," Dixie took a sip from her milk carton.

"And Dixie, you never cease to flatter me," Edith chuckled. "It was really nothing. All I did was make the child feel comfortable." She took a bite out of her roast beef sandwich and chewed thoughtfully.

Margie timidly approached their table, lunch tray in her hands. "May I join you?"

Dixie looked to her and smiled. "Why certainly. Take a seat." She pulled out an empty chair.

"Thank you." The student nurse sat.

"So," Edith began. "Plans for the weekend. Who's got some?"

Margie brought her sandwich to her mouth and stopped. "I got a date. Johnny, that nice paramedic, is taking me out."

"Oh." Dixie nodded, trying to seem impressed.

"That's very good, Margie." Edith added.

"My brother and his wife are coming up for the weekend." Dixie took another sip of milk. "We're going to have a barbeque."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!"

Margie nodded in agreement. "What about you, Dr. Thorne?"

"Oh, I don't know… I might just get some chores done. Do some laundry, mow the lawn…"

Margie looked shocked. "Mow the lawn! Isn't that your husband's job?"

"Not when you don't have a husband."

"You mean you're not married?"

"Not anymore." The doctor managed a weak smile. "But that's okay, Margie, you didn't know."

Dixie's eyes were wide. "Dr. Thorne, I'm sorry to hear that."

She held up a hand. "It's alright, really. It was a while ago."

Margie blinked back tears. "He's not dead, is he?"

"Oh no, not dead. Just a very old-fashioned man."

Dixie said, "Sounds like Kel."

The three women laughed.

Edith continued. "Barry Ells his name was. Met in high school, got married right after. He went to work every day at the mechanic's shop and I stayed home and kept house…"

The young nurse was looking at her intently. "Yeah…?"

"I decided one day that cooking, cleaning, and ironing his shirts was fine, but I had ambitions, goals, that I wanted to pursue. I wanted to study medicine. But when I told old Barry he just flipped his lid, telling me that women belonged in the house and all sorts of other things.

I told him I wasn't about to give up and to please think about it. Well, he thought about it and surprised me with some legal papers and, that was that…"

"Edith, I'm so sorry," Dixie commiserated.

"I'm alright, now. That was a few years ago. I just can't decide if he was wrong, or if it was me."

"There's nothing wrong with wanted to be a doctor," Margie insisted. "I think it's great that you went for it."

Edith smiled. "Thanks, Margie. I'm glad you think so."

Dixie placed a comforting hand on Edith's. "And Edith? You make a wonderful doctor."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Hello again! After a lengthy absence, I'm going to try to pull another chapter together. Today (8/17/11) is Drake Levin's birthday, and because I'm Raiderette Levin, maybe I should get typing! So… Here's another chapter. Thank you, all faithful readers and welcome, new readers! : )**

It was a slow day at Rampart, which meant a safe day in the community, but a boring day for the staff. Dr. Brackett sat in the break room sipping at a cup of coffee when the new student nurse came in.

"Hi, Dr. Brackett. Mind if I sit with you?"

He smiled. "Not at all, Margie. Take a seat." He pulled a chair out for her.

"Thanks." She prepared herself a cup of tea and then sat next to the doctor. She then looked at him, but said nothing.

Feeling slightly awkward, Kelly decided to start a casual conversation. "So, how are you liking the job, Margie? Is it how you thought it would be?"

She nodded. "Much better, Doctor." She smiled shyly and took a sip of tea. "The staff is so nice."

"Yes, I agree." He took another sip of coffee, feeling the young girl's eyes still on him. Setting his mug down, he asked, "Is there something you wanted to say?"

"Oh no, Doctor." She looked embarrassed. "I was just…. Admiring your tie."

"Oh." He looked down at his tie to find that he was wearing a simple blue one. "Well, thank you."

She bit her lip and fell silent again. Dr. Brackett found her behavior to be quite puzzling. She wasn't necessarily acting ill, but she wasn't quite her usual self either. He decided to shrug it off. It was probably nothing.

"Well," he said, drinking his last bit of coffee and standing, "I guess I'd better get back to work."

"Yes, me too!" Margie exclaimed raising her mug to finish off her tea.

"I guess I'll be seeing you soon?" He nodded to the girl before exiting the break room.

Margie let out a terrific sigh and nearly melted into the floor.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey Dix, can I talk to you?"

Dixie turned to face Dr. Brackett. "Sure, Kel. What do you need?"

He crossed his arms casually and struggled for the right wording. "You know I trust your judgment—"

The nurse nodded. "I know. Now, where did all of this flattery come from?" She smiled, teasing.

"I just wanted to ask a little bit of advice." He looked to the ceiling as Dixie waited for him to go on. He thought back to his time in the break room with Margie. Ever since the occurrence, he had found himself puzzled by the student nurse's odd behavior. She had seemed… uneasy, and that was troubling. He knew some of the student nurses to be shy, but he'd always had good rapport with his co-workers.

"Sure, what about?" She waited for him to go on.

"I know that Miss Haydock has only been here for a few days, but you've worked with her a lot, haven't you?"

"Yes?"

"And she seems pretty social; I'm sure you know a lot about her…"

"Go on."

"And…" He paused again. "I had an odd… conversation with her in the break room earlier today and…" It was now or never to ask what he really wondered. "Do you think that Miss Haydock is afraid of me?"

Dixie burst into laughter. She could hardly imagine Margie being afraid of anybody, not even stern Doctor Brackett. "Afraid of you? Kel! Where'd you get an idea like that?"

He tried hard to suppress his embarrassment. "She was just acting so unusual around me. Quiet, skittish, _staring _at me…"

"Staring at you?" Well, then that changed things. She nodded in comprehension and then replied, "She's not afraid of you, Kel. She's in love."

The doctor's eyes widened, but he quickly calmed himself. "In _love_? Dix, are you sure?"

"Sure as your tie's blue."

He looked down at his tie. Great, the one that Margie had been admiring. How could this be? Dixie had to have been mistaken. Margie in _love_? With _him_? He wanted to be doubtful, but the head nurse _did _have good instincts and was _extremely _trustworthy.

She smiled, sensing his unease, and slapped him on the back. "Don't let it get the best of you, Doc. These sorts of things happen all of the time. She'll get over it."

Things like that happened all of the time? Had he been blind to such things this long? Overwhelmed with inner embarrassment, he decided to retire to his office to do some paperwork.

"Well, thanks Dixie. I'd better get back to work."

"Sure thing, Doctor."

As he turned to go, a familiar, female voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Miss McCall—? Oh! H-hi Doctor Brackett."

He turned to see Margie leaning against the counter, weakly. There she was, acting ill again. If love made women act ill, how did a doctor like Joe ever stand to get married? That was something they'd never taught in medical school. It'd be right to suspect a cold or influenza, but not… lovesickness.


End file.
